Member-only story
Fiction
Pooh Sticks Saved My Life
RWDouble Drabble 2.0.133
Word of the day: quarter
Twist: Begin with ‘It was a bridge to…’
It was a bridge to throw sticks from during my childhood. Now, it is a bridge too low for me to jump from. Instead, I stand with arms resting on the railing, watching the river flow lazily below. It’s unaware of the suffering in the world, the suffering in my life.
I’d been happy with her. Married life for me had been joyous. Weekly candlelit meals, walks along the beach, and cuddles under the covers. Our friends viewed us with envy.
Then the cancer came, a python in the night.
They said they were hopeful. There was a good chance she could beat it. A quarter needed an operation. Fewer died. But cancer is a cunning foe, and no matter what the doctors tried, it advanced. A few months ago, I held her hand as she died.
Now, I want to join her. I cannot be alone anymore.
A stick is floating down the river. It passes under the bridge, and I step to the other side to see it reappear. I smile, remembering the joy of my childhood. It’s like she’s sending me a message, “You were happy before me, you can be happy again. Go, find another stick.”
